Memories and blessings..... More pictures from Miami

8-19-14

 A week in Pictures....the week before transfers.....

 Awesome District!! Last Week in Miami-- El Portal North 

Elders from Las Vegas-- Elder Wardell, Elder Tenney, Elder Simper 

 Elder Dinkins--lived 2 transfers with this guy...going to miss him....

Elder Thompson,  been with him since I got on the mission...going to miss him ... he's the best!!

Elder Cobabe, my companion for 1 transfer, I made a remark to him how he never takes a serious picture

                                              

   The awesome Sister Wood and Sister Orton--culprits behind our Post it attack!!! 

 Look who I ran into at Zone Conference -- my awesome trainer Elder Marshall---

 he was so happy to see his Baby!! 

No He really was!!! 

A Wedding, A Baptism and Transfers!!

August 19, 2014 

Robin and Hugo getting married !!

Robin and Hugo getting Baptised!!! 

Weeeeeell heres the scoop.

BAPTISMSSSSS!!!!!!!

Robin and hugo were married and baptized this last week. We truly saw a miracle this last week with those two. they are such a Huge example of enduring hard trials. looking back there was a lot of things that really kind of stood in the way of their baptism: 1st robin has leukemia, and she physically feels really bad a lot, so lessons were sometimes difficult for her, but she pulled through. The marriage license for them was a challenge to get, but because they had faith that it would pull through right from the get go, it wasn't as much of a challenge as it definitely could have been. Then came the wedding/baptism day, and Robin wasn't feeling so good at all the whole day, and when we asked her what she wanted to do, wait or proceed, without even hesitating she said that we should do it. so we did! it was truly amazing!

  well this past week we also had zone conference! I got to see elder marshall again! I was soo happy, he's doing amazing. and also me and elder simper and elder tenney all got to chat with each other at different times. it was so cool to be there with two other guys from las vegas, one who I was good friends with for a while.

   and then came the news. weeeell tomorrow, after 4 months and five days in El Portal, I'm going to be transferring for the first time. It's bittersweet cuz I love El Portal but at the same time I'm super excited for the new experience! :) soo exciting.

Well guess that will be all love yall!

Elder Wardell

Note from Mom:  Transfers are  name of the time period in which Missionaries  serve together with their companions. Transfers are every 6 weeks. You can be with a companion for one transfer or more than one transfer. For example Elder Wardell was companions with Elder Marshall for 2 transfers and he has been with Elder Cobabe for 1 transfer.  On Sunday night the week of Transfers the missionaries are notified if they will be "transferring" or not.   Elder Wardell received a call this last Sunday night, and was told he will be transferring to a new area. He will go to "Transfer Meeting" tomorrow. There he will meet his new companion and then he will be given his new area. He has been serving in NW Miami in an area called El Portal North.  He will now move from that area to his new area and begin serving there with his new companion. 

More pictures.....

Meet the Awesome Sister Orton and Sister Wood ...they are responsible for the "Post it" note attack!!! 

Long hair...

I should be a barber, it took me forever....some of it I had to do by feel.......

An Angel, a "Post it " attack and our Awesome Investigators

This is a photo challenge that our district had, called the angel moroni challenge. that was the one (this picture) that elder cobabe and I were going to use (sadly we wont be able to do it this week.)

(Note from Mom:  Nearly all the temples of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints have a statue of the Angel Moroni atop the spires of the temple.  Moroni holds a horn to his lips with his right hand, symbolizing both the spreading of the gospel throughout the world and the long-anticipated Second Coming of the Savior, which will be announced by trumpet-blowing angels (see Matthew 24:31 to read more you can go here...https://www.lds.org/new-era/2009/11/looking-up-to-moroni?lang=eng

August 11. 2014 

Weeeeell here's the scoop.

     So this last week was pretty good. we met with robin and hugo just about every day, and they just absolutely loved it! so did we. They have truly been prepared because they have just been getting cooler and cooler. So on friday we went with them to the courthouse, and they got their marriage license! they are going to be married, AND baptised this tuesday! they are just the greatest people! for example, we just taught them about tithing, and we were a little bit nervous because they sometimes have a bit of trouble making ends meet, but as we taught them tithing, and asked if they would live the law, hugo said, absolutely. like without any thought. the two of them have such amazing faith, and always act on it without even taking thought. truly amazing. well, I love yall,

talk to ya next week!

Elder Wardell

this picture is from friday night when we got home. it was a nice little post it note attack from the sisters in our district.

the funniest one read

"once upon a time, the elders lived in a ghetto little place. but God protected them. and they lived happily ever after." haha they are funny.

Farewells and Miracles

                                                Marlen and her daughter Soann were baptised

                                                       Elder Wardell and Grandma Wardell 

July 28th, 2014 

Weeeeell here's the scoop.

        Well, a bit of sad news from home this past week, and that is that my grandma wardell, has now passed on. all is well though, because grandma has been in bad health for the past while, but mostly has been separated from her sweetheart grandpa wardell for over 25 years. I smile everytime i think that she finally was able to give grandpa callis a hug again. And even more than that, she was also able to meet some family there that she's never before met. namely my sister morgan. Death here is sad, but at the same time, it is what brings us to a happy reunion.

           this week we were able to touch somewhat on that topic with one of our recent converts deysi. this past week we shared with her some of the blessings of the temple. and she told us how she would start preparing to go to the temple. and she was just bubbling with joy when i told her that elder marshall and i would be able to be there when she went through the temple.

Deysi is the sweetest ole cuban lady you'll ever meet. :) she always refers to us as "mis bebes" (my babies).

        

       also this past week saw some miracles! and my oh my how i love to see miracles! So, last week i wrote home and talked about how our completely awesome investigator dropped us. we were so sad, but elder Cobabe and i kept up our faith that the lord was sending something our way, and he did. on Wednesday, we had ward correlation, and the other elders texted us and said that Marlen and her daughter were there! we zipped right over to the chapel and sure enough, ! they were there. she came up to us after she finished her relief society activity, and told us that the reason we couldn't come by was because the people she was staying with, didn't like the mormon church and said that we weren't able to stop by anymore. but because marlen has a burning testimony, and because she knows the truth of this church, she acted. she acted on her faith, and came to us, and told us that she was moving to detroit but she wanted to get baptized here with us and that she wanted the gift of the holy ghost because she knows how it will guide her in this moment of her life. so last thursday, the day before she left, she and her daughter soann, were baptized and then confirmed!!!

 

Miracles happen. everyday they are there just waiting for us to recieve them. and we recieve them by our faith. that's why faith leads to joy, and strong faith leads to happiness. that is why it is so important that we demonstrate our faith in prayer and in the scriptures and strengthen it by doing those things everyday. miracles, are pendant on us acting for them. its as simple as that.

well that's a pretty sweet scoop.

:) love yall

Elder Wardell

Sometimes its the simple things.....

weeeell heres the scoop.

    So sadly this week, our two awesome investigators had to get dropped.

it's sad but all is well. they know what they have felt with us, and we have alreadly done alot of good work with them and left a good impression. now they just need time, and a few more life experiences, and they will realize.

and that just makes me realize that that is how it is with all of us. we come in contact with things that leave good impressions, but we still dont realize them, until we have something happen in our lives, that makes us look to these impressions and realize what they are; it's us being shaped and molded into something even better, something kinder, more loving, more pure. and the things that happen in our lives, arent always huge crisis like things. sometimes they are just little everyday things that we really don't see.

and that is why it's important to pray to our father in heaven. he is the one who can help us the most in our lives, to see these changes, and to see who we really are. and he really is the only one who can do that. he knows us perfectly, wholly and with perfect love. he is the one who is always there FOR us to show us a better choice, a better way a better life (a happier life).

He is there, and ready to. the only one thing that we need to do is one small thing. and that is kneel down, bow our heads, and just talk to him.

a simple thing.

a simple thing that changes our lives and works miracles.

i see it more and more everyday.

well i love yall and i guess thats the scoop on this week. :)

Elder Wardell

Note from the Mom:  Elder Wardell's letter this week reminds me of one of my favorite scriptures... this scripture is found in the Book of Mormon and comes from the Book of Alma.   These are words of counsel the prophet Alma gives to his son Helaman.... This is Alma 37:37 

37 Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day.

 I too have felt the power and love  that comes from Simple prayer. I want to add my testimony to that of Elder Wardell's. I know that prayer can change our lives. I know that our Father in Heaven hears and answers our prayers. I know that Jesus Christ died that we might live.

  Vicki Wardell  

www.mormon.org 

Transfer Time and a New Companion....

July 14th, 2014  

                                                                
                                                         Now it's ELDER COBABE!!!! 

We're so excited.............at least i am! haha he's great!!!!! 

 Elder Marshall, Elder Wardell, Elder Tenney  

Elder Marshall and Elder Tenney are now companions, 

Elder Wardell and Elder Tenney were companions in the CCM.  

Elder Marshall  just made District Leader!! He will be so awesome.

 He has been a great trainer for Elder Wardell. 

He will be a benefit to so many missionaries in his new leadership role!  

weeeeell heres the scoop.

so this past week was transfer week!

im staying in El portal, but sadly, elder marshall was not going to be staying with me :( but all is well!

i am now companions with elder Cobabe. he's totally awesome!

he's been out for six transfers so just about nine months.

this is transfer seven for him, and three for me! its crazy how fast the time has gone by. tomorrow, it will have been three months since i've been in the field, and over four that ive been on the mission.! so crazy!

so, rather interesting experience, so our mission does whats called a transfer meeting, where all the missionaries that transfer, drive to ft laud, and we have a little meeting. and elder cobabe and i were on our way home from transfer meeting, and the a/c suddenly stopped blowing cold. i was like what the?

and then i heard the dash board ding, and i looked down and the warning light for the engine temperature came on and the needle was bouncing at the top. i was like whooooooooa, not cool. so we pulled off to the side, popped the hood took a look, called the vehicle coordinator, and he told us to go to a pep boys. stinking pep boys, but hey, its not my car haha.

so we go over there, and they tell us we will have to wait a while, so while we were waiting, we went to get krispy kreme, and it started sprinkling so i said aah lets get the umbrellas. so we got them and started going along, and then it started coming down a little more. and then a little more. and a bit more after that. haha pretty soon, it was just pouring rain. just out of no where. i looked at elder cobabe and said, good thing we brought the umbrellas. HA (we were soaked. even above the waist)

but we got the car and went home, he got settled in, and we went along had a good day.

so friday, the other elders needed to use the car, and they were gonna be back before we left, well they come home, and tell us the warning light was on again, and that the ac was also acting up. uuuuuuugh! so we went to a chevy dealership, only to find out that we couldnt come in till monday, so we had to park the car till today.

so for the second time in my mission, i had to bike! i was actually a little happy i came to realize how much i dont mind biking. that lasted for about fifteen minutes hahaha. but something good came out of it. i got my awesome tan back! .....almost hahaha.i wore a long sleeve with the sleeves rolled up on saturday, and now i have a really funny lookin farmers tan. good things. luckily the car is getting fixed today so todo esta bien. (all is well)

haha well sadly to say, marlen did not get baptised this last sunday, she was not able to attend church this past week, but she is still awesome as ever, and she will most likely be getting baptised this next sunday. 

well, i love yall, cant wait to talk to you next week!

Elder Wardell

We had a "Flood" in Florida

We experienced some Flooding.....

                               Last night planning as a "greenie"...I am now officially a Junior Companion!! 

Letter from July 8th 

heres the scoop.

soo the house got flooded.

with mail that is ;)

big thank you to everyone that sent mail to me and the other elders! :) they were really happy to get a bunch of mail for the fourth of july! haha so our fourth of july, we had to be indoors at 730, because of how crazy miami can get so we got in early and were able to hang out for a couple hours. it wasnt to bad. and another good thing happend last week. :) last week was the last week of 12 week missionary training! :) im no longer a greenie. now officially junior comp!

sadly though, we come to find out last night, that elder marshall will be tansferring. :( im losing my papa. all is well though, he's only been out a year so ill no doubt  see him again multiple times. :)

oh and jello! i discovered that the jolly rancher company, maked jello! (Not thee official jello company jello, their own brand of jello) i had blue razz this week and it was amazing!

 

well this week, we found some pretty amazing people to teach, one is named marlen, with her daughter soan, and they are most likely getting baptized this sunday! :) she was with us at church last sunday, and after 1st hour, she just started goin off about how peaceful and amazing she felt and she told us that she definitely knew that we were sent from God as an answer to her prayers. she is so great.! :)

well i love yall, till next week! :)

Elder Wardell